Lakers Rumors: Latest News on Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma's Return

Considering the night Anthony Davis just put together, there should be no wonder about why the Los Angeles Lakers will do everything in their power to re-sign the superstar forward.

Davis destroyed the Memphis Grizzlies for 40 points and 20 rebounds, all of which happened in the first three quarters. He added two blocks and two assists before not playing a single second in the fourth quarter of the Lakers' 120-91 triumph.

That explosive night followed a promising report regarding Davis' future with the organization.

"Nobody believes Anthony Davis is not staying with the Lakers," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on The Woj Pod.

While that sentence shouldn't be a surprise at this point, it's another reminder of just how extreme a favorite the Lakers are right now. Things change in the NBA, but if they botch this situation, that would be a complete and total failure.

After the 2019-20 season is over, Davis will likely decline his player option to become an unrestricted free agent. He would be due $28.8 million, per HoopsHype, but a max contract would vault his annual earnings closer to $40 million.

The Lakers are sure to pony up that contract.

In the meantime, they'll continue monitoring that situation while keeping a more immediate focus on the regular season. And the roster is about to get a boost in Kyle Kuzma.

According to Shams Charania of Stadium, the third-year forward is "essentially 100 percent healthy" after a left ankle injury. However, he's working on his conditioning before returning to the court.

The injury happened during Team USA training camp prior to the FIBA World Cup, and it has sidelined Kuzma for all four games.

Head coach Frank Vogel offered a timeline for Kuzma's return.

Following the Lakers' win over the Grizzlies, ESPN's Tania Ganguli reported some further details. Kuzma is expected to practice with the G League's South Bay Lakers on Wednesday, then join the Lakers for that three-game road trip.

Kuzma, as you'd hope, is eager to return.

"I get super excited, because I know all the work that I put in this summer, and I feel like what this team needs is exactly what I worked on this summer," he said, per Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register. "It's gonna be a surprise to a lot of people."

The big unknown is how Vogel will deploy Kuzma, who isn't extremely efficient as a three-point shooter (30.3 percent in 2018-19) but should be a good complementary piece. Last year, he averaged 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

However he can lessen the burden on Davis and LeBron James, the more effective Los Angeles will be.

Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR